One way for you to have an impact on the state of the environment is to write letters to the editor of your local newspaper, favorite magazine - or - to your elected officials. Below you'll find a few resources to help you write an effective letter. If you have other hints, tips or resources you tink we should add, drop us a line harbinger at yellowcanary.com.

The Right to Write: Suggestions on Writing to Your Representatives in Congress by Morris K. Udall, Member, U.S. Congress. ~ cite: hea-www.harvard.edu

Conserve Energy and Help Secure the Future

There are many reasons to make conserving energy part of our daily lives. Whether you are an environmentalist, or just an American who understands the ramifications of our dependency on non-native, non-renewable energy sources, conserving energy is important to you. Here are some links to give you some tips and provide some information about the kinds of conservation we can all take part in:

Energy Action Coalition was founded in spring of 2004 in Washington, DC by student and youth representatives of 16 organizations from across US and Canada. Together they decided to work together and build a movement to stop global warming. The Campus Climate Challenge is a project of more than 30 leading youth organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Challenge unites young people to organize on college campuses and high schools to win 100% Clean Energy policies at their schools.
cite: campusclimatechallenge.org, energyaction.net

Campus Climate Challenge receives fiscal support from the Earth Island Institute, 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San Francisco, CA, 94133-3312, (415) 788-3666. From their beginning in the late 1970s, Earth Island was about fostering bold action by creative individuals. Earth Island has launched and supported more than 50 projects with important victories in protecting rainforests, stopping the slaughter of dolphins and whales, innovating multicultural environmental leadership, producing award-winning journalism, and more.
cite: earthisland.org

CO2 Reduction Tips

Electricity is one of the biggest producers of CO2 - because it's mostly produced by burning fossil fuels. Less electricity usage = Less CO2 production. Tips how to cut your electrical consumption below. Tips courtesy of futureforests.com.

Around the House

Turn it down!: Turning your thermostat down by just 2°C you'll cut as much as 10% off your heating bill - if you and your friends' households all did this you could save 3.6 tons of CO2 per year. (There are also some health benefits to maintaining lower temperatures/higher levels of relative humidity than most "cold weather" homes maintain during the winter.)

Switch it off at the set!:
Switching off your TV, video, DVD or stereo at the set stops the extra 10-60% electricity used by being on standby. If just 10 households switched off their TV sets properly, 1 tons of CO2 would be saved!

Chill to perfection:
Make sure your fridge and freezer run efficiently by defrosting regularly and setting to the right temperature. This will keep your CO2 emissions, and your bills, to a minimum.

Fill up your washing machine:
Using full loads will keep your weekly wash number down, saving you money on water, electricity, soap, and helping the environment too.

Fit fitter light bulbs:
Energy saving light bulbs will save you around $18-$25 a year per bulb, and save the atmosphere 0.8 tons of CO2.

Insulate your hot water tank:
Stop heat energy escaping by fitting a lagging jacket around your hot water tank - you'll be amazed how much you can save.

. . . and your walls:
Up to 35% of the heat generated in your home is lost through your walls. Installing cavity wall insulation could cut your fuel bills $130-$200 per year and save large amounts of CO2 from escaping into the atmosphere.

. . . and your ceilings, too:
Save$40-$60 on your fuel bills and a tons of CO2, by fitting 180mm of ceiling insulation - it will only cost you a few hundred dollars, but will stop the 25% of heat from your house disappearing through the roof.

Install an energy efficient boiler:
If your boiler is over 15 years old it may not be energy efficient - replacing with a condensing boiler could save you money and reduce your emissions.

In Support of Green Space

Schools Bells

The North East Digital Village and her parent company, Bizgrok, Inc are as concerned as you are about the health and safety of our kids at school. In this section of the Village, we're hoping to encourage you to learn more about what is happening at your child's school and around the state and the country. We'll be concentrating on environmental health and safety here; air and water quality foremost. As part of the NEDV & Bizgrok effort, we're sponsoring the web site and hosting for a state-wide organization whose goal is to work for legislation to create pollution free schools in Connecticut as well as to educate us all about the problems and the solutions. As an out-growth of The Canary Committee, a non-profit organization is forming around the goal of Pollution Free Schools. Watch them grow at pollutionfreeschools.org and stop back here as we expand this part of the Village's "green" efforts.

HB 6503: "An Act Concerning Indoor Environmental Quality in Schools" was intended to improve indoor environmental quality in schools to safeguard the health of students and school personnel. It was introduced by the Environment Committee. Highlights of 6503, which unanimously passed the Environment Committee are outlined.

Schools Getting Green

Twenty Seven Connecticut Schools and Education Organizations were Recognized for Environmental Contributions in Connecticut:
As part of the GreenCircle Program, students and educators from 27 Connecticut schools and education organizations were honored on June 9, 2000 by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for outstanding environmental projects that contributed to or improved the quality of the environment in their schools and communities.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality isn't something you usually think about every day - that is, unless you or your child or someone important in your life suffers from asthma,
occupational asthma,
emphysema, COPD, bronchiectasis or other life-threatening respiratory disease. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) becomes vitally important when both respiratory disease and allergens are present in your home, office or other workplace, or in your child's school. This section will try to provide information about how to recognize and improve the IAQ of the places you and your family work and live.